At least 31 bodies have so far been recovered from the scenes of two explosions which rocked Jos, capital city of Nigeria’s central north state of Plateau, in quick succession on Thursday, a government spokesperson said.
The death toll may rise as rescue workers were still ransacking the scene of the explosions, Pam Ayuba, spokesperson for the state governor, told Xinhua.
State police spokesperson Emmanuel Abu, who earlier confirmed the blasts to Xinhua, said policemen had been deployed to the scene of the blasts to ascertain the situation and save lives.
The first blast was said to have gone off at about 6.30 p.m. local time at a popular eatery situated in the busy Terminus area of the metropolis, while the second explosive device exploded minutes later along Masalachi Juma road.
A Xinhua reporter said officers of the National Emergency Management Agency were coordinating rescue operations in the area but could not ascertain the number of injured victims.
Terminus is usually heavily populated in the evenings when traders return to make quick evening sales.
The population at Terminus is particularly heavier at this period as residents rush to do Christmas shopping. It also serves as a park for commuters rushing home after the close of work or business.
Plateau State is situated in Nigeria’s middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south meet. It has seen years of ethnic tensions and is a major potential flashpoint of pre-election and post-election violence.
The state capital Jos was plunged into a pool of blood on March 7, 2010, when members of local Muslim and Christian communities fought each other in revenge for previous killings.
The state has recently witnessed some bomb blasts and constant rifts between Berom and Fulani herdsmen, with many, especially women and children, murdered in cold blood in the state.